Domika03

Hey everyone,

I had gastric sleeve surgery back in 2014. I did pretty well over the years coming from almost 240 all the way down to 140 but now about 165. I'm definitely a stress eater. This year has been a struggle & I'm not even talking about COVID. No point in sharing my reasons because they don't help.
I'd like to get back on track but I don't even remember how to start. I'd like to ask what you guys are eating on a daily basis; a sample menu perhaps? I'd be so grateful if anyone could give me pointers on how to get back on the right path!

Many thanks,
Fran

I gained 20 lbs after hitting my lowest point (138). I really needed to gain the first 10 lbs of it - I'd gotten too thin. But I've been struggling to lose the last 10 because I DIDN'T need or want that part of it (have managed to lose like 3 of it -- since March! It's tough...)
anyway, I still track my food intake, but I've been doing that since my surgery in 2015 (actually, even BEFORE surgery). I've made a serious effort to stay within my maintenance calorie range, which for me is 1500-1700 per day - and I'm trying to stay at the low end of that (1500). I also really increased my exercise. My primary exercise these days is biking, which I usually do for 60-90 minutes a day, five or six days a week. It's working, but it's S-L-O-W. I know if I lowered my calories even more, to like 1200, the weight would come off faster - but I'm evidently not ready or willing to do that yet or I'd already be doing it. BUT....I'm sure it would work.
at this point I just count calories - and I've been doing that since I was about a year out from surgery. I can eat anything as long as it fits into my daily calorie limit. I know that doesn't work for everyone, though. I know several people who are trying to lose regain doing Keto, or Weight Watchers, or Intermittent Fasting. And many just go back to what they were doing the first year post-surgery (not all the way back to protein shakes and purees, but back to protein first, then non-starchy vegetables - and then maybe an occasional serving of fruit or whole-grain carb)
it basically comes down to what works for you and what you think you'll be able to sustain long term.
Losing regain is hard and it's slow, but it's do-able

5/31/19
Oh, the journey I've traveled. It's been years since I last posted but I was such an avid contributor that I thought I'd "check in" again.
My weight gain started after a very depressing first marriage & continued on through single parenthood. By the time I met my current husband (of almost 20 yrs now), I guess I was comfortable with myself & my terrible eating habits. I'm not sure I can pinpoint the moment I decided to have the gastric sleeve, but like many, I got to the point where I was so damn depressed that I didn't even want to go out. I didn't want to be seen or noticed. I was incredibly embarrassed with myself.
Fast forward, I had my surgery around 2014. Became a weight loss facilitator hosting support meetings for newbies & post surgery. Started a demanding job that took me away from continuing the meetings only to wind up getting laid off 1 1/2 yrs later. Found a temp job but was very unhappy with the commute so I left.
Here's where you need to pay attention. I wound up unemployed for almost 7 months. I became quite depressed and, guess what gained 25 pounds back. UGH, how could this happen, right? Easy. I feel back into old habits. I didn't watch what I was eating & I certainly didn't pay attention to portion control. Granted, I didn't eat a lot in the sense of how much I ate, but it was enough. Don't think for a minute that weight loss surgery is a quick fix. It's truly a tool & you are responsible for making it work for you. We all gain weight for many different reasons but I feel it almost always is a result of a psychological journey we're going through.
Fortunately, once I was employed & allowed myself to become accountable to myself again, I started Weight Watchers. Yea, you would think I knew what I had to do to lose the weight again but I needed the support & something I could 'share' with others.
Here I am, 4 months later & I lost the weight. Pheww... I'm 5'2 and my average weight is around 142 pounds. I may start those support meetings up again in the North Denver area. MIght be a great resource for many as it was when I first did it .

5/31/19
Oh, the journey I've traveled. It's been years since I last posted but I was such an avid contributor that I thought I'd "check in" again.
My weight gain started after a very depressing first marriage & continued on through single parenthood. By the time I met my current husband (of almost 20 yrs now), I guess I was comfortable with myself & my terrible eating habits. I'm not sure I can pinpoint the moment I decided to have the gastric sleeve, but like many, I got to the point where I was so damn depressed that I didn't even want to go out. I didn't want to be seen or noticed. I was incredibly embarrassed with myself.
Fast forward, I had my surgery around 2014. Became a weight loss facilitator hosting support meetings for newbies & post surgery. Started a demanding job that took me away from continuing the meetings only to wind up getting laid off 1 1/2 yrs later. Found a temp job but was very unhappy with the commute so I left.
Here's where you need to pay attention. I wound up unemployed for almost 7 months. I became quite depressed and, guess what gained 25 pounds back. UGH, how could this happen, right? Easy. I feel back into old habits. I didn't watch what I was eating & I certainly didn't pay attention to portion control. Granted, I didn't eat a lot in the sense of how much I ate, but it was enough. Don't think for a minute that weight loss surgery is a quick fix. It's truly a tool & you are responsible for making it work for you. We all gain weight for many different reasons but I feel it almost always is a result of a psychological journey we're going through.
Fortunately, once I was employed & allowed myself to become accountable to myself again, I started Weight Watchers. Yea, you would think I knew what I had to do to lose the weight again but I needed the support & something I could 'share' with others.
Here I am, 4 months later & I lost the weight. Pheww... I'm 5'2 and my average weight is around 142 pounds. I may start those support meetings up again in the North Denver area. MIght be a great resource for many as it was when I first did it .

This question goes out to anyone in the north Denver area. I had facilitated a weight loss support group a few years ago & did it for about 2 years before I had to stop. It was non-medically supervised so basically just a bunch of people looking to help & support one another in their weight loss journey.
We shared everything from A to Z; talked about what surgeries we had, what worked, what didn't work, the emotional roller coaster associated with weight loss surgery, recipe suggestions, etc... You name it, we talked about it. The one rule was that everything we discussed was kept confidential.
I opened it up to anyone wanting to have surgery OR that had surgery. The goal was simply to support one another. Again, I am not in the medical field nor am I an authority in the subject. What I am is an extrovert that enjoys meeting new people & helping provide support.
Would you be interested in a weight loss surgery support meeting in the Westminster / Broomfield area?

5/31/19
Oh, the journey I've traveled. It's been years since I last posted but I was such an avid contributor that I thought I'd "check in" again.
My weight gain started after a very depressing first marriage & continued on through single parenthood. By the time I met my current husband (of almost 20 yrs now), I guess I was comfortable with myself & my terrible eating habits. I'm not sure I can pinpoint the moment I decided to have the gastric sleeve, but like many, I got to the point where I was so damn depressed that I didn't even want to go out. I didn't want to be seen or noticed. I was incredibly embarrassed with myself.
Fast forward, I had my surgery around 2014. Became a weight loss facilitator hosting support meetings for newbies & post surgery. Started a demanding job that took me away from continuing the meetings only to wind up getting laid off 1 1/2 yrs later. Found a temp job but was very unhappy with the commute so I left.
Here's where you need to pay attention. I wound up unemployed for almost 7 months. I became quite depressed and, guess what gained 25 pounds back. UGH, how could this happen, right? Easy. I feel back into old habits. I didn't watch what I was eating & I certainly didn't pay attention to portion control. Granted, I didn't eat a lot in the sense of how much I ate, but it was enough. Don't think for a minute that weight loss surgery is a quick fix. It's truly a tool & you are responsible for making it work for you. We all gain weight for many different reasons but I feel it almost always is a result of a psychological journey we're going through.
Fortunately, once I was employed & allowed myself to become accountable to myself again, I started Weight Watchers. Yea, you would think I knew what I had to do to lose the weight again but I needed the support & something I could 'share' with others.
Here I am, 4 months later & I lost the weight. Pheww... I'm 5'2 and my average weight is around 142 pounds. I may start those support meetings up again in the North Denver area. MIght be a great resource for many as it was when I first did it .

5/31/19
Oh, the journey I've traveled. It's been years since I last posted but I was such an avid contributor that I thought I'd "check in" again.
My weight gain started after a very depressing first marriage & continued on through single parenthood. By the time I met my current husband (of almost 20 yrs now), I guess I was comfortable with myself & my terrible eating habits. I'm not sure I can pinpoint the moment I decided to have the gastric sleeve, but like many, I got to the point where I was so damn depressed that I didn't even want to go out. I didn't want to be seen or noticed. I was incredibly embarrassed with myself.
Fast forward, I had my surgery around 2014. Became a weight loss facilitator hosting support meetings for newbies & post surgery. Started a demanding job that took me away from continuing the meetings only to wind up getting laid off 1 1/2 yrs later. Found a temp job but was very unhappy with the commute so I left.
Here's where you need to pay attention. I wound up unemployed for almost 7 months. I became quite depressed and, guess what gained 25 pounds back. UGH, how could this happen, right? Easy. I feel back into old habits. I didn't watch what I was eating & I certainly didn't pay attention to portion control. Granted, I didn't eat a lot in the sense of how much I ate, but it was enough. Don't think for a minute that weight loss surgery is a quick fix. It's truly a tool & you are responsible for making it work for you. We all gain weight for many different reasons but I feel it almost always is a result of a psychological journey we're going through.
Fortunately, once I was employed & allowed myself to become accountable to myself again, I started Weight Watchers. Yea, you would think I knew what I had to do to lose the weight again but I needed the support & something I could 'share' with others.
Here I am, 4 months later & I lost the weight. Pheww... I'm 5'2 and my average weight is around 142 pounds. I may start those support meetings up again in the North Denver area. MIght be a great resource for many as it was when I first did it .

Great story. Good on you for getting a hold on it and losing the regain so successfully. I live in CO Springs or I would attend your group. Good luck!

Congrats on re-seizing control of the castle. What an inspiration!!!! TY for coming back and sharing it. Wish you would stick around!!!
So glad you applied the tools that helped you see success and that you took care of the regain!

5/31/19
Oh, the journey I've traveled. It's been years since I last posted but I was such an avid contributor that I thought I'd "check in" again.
My weight gain started after a very depressing first marriage & continued on through single parenthood. By the time I met my current husband (of almost 20 yrs now), I guess I was comfortable with myself & my terrible eating habits. I'm not sure I can pinpoint the moment I decided to have the gastric sleeve, but like many, I got to the point where I was so damn depressed that I didn't even want to go out. I didn't want to be seen or noticed. I was incredibly embarrassed with myself.
Fast forward, I had my surgery around 2014. Became a weight loss facilitator hosting support meetings for newbies & post surgery. Started a demanding job that took me away from continuing the meetings only to wind up getting laid off 1 1/2 yrs later. Found a temp job but was very unhappy with the commute so I left.
Here's where you need to pay attention. I wound up unemployed for almost 7 months. I became quite depressed and, guess what gained 25 pounds back. UGH, how could this happen, right? Easy. I feel back into old habits. I didn't watch what I was eating & I certainly didn't pay attention to portion control. Granted, I didn't eat a lot in the sense of how much I ate, but it was enough. Don't think for a minute that weight loss surgery is a quick fix. It's truly a tool & you are responsible for making it work for you. We all gain weight for many different reasons but I feel it almost always is a result of a psychological journey we're going through.
Fortunately, once I was employed & allowed myself to become accountable to myself again, I started Weight Watchers. Yea, you would think I knew what I had to do to lose the weight again but I needed the support & something I could 'share' with others.
Here I am, 4 months later & I lost the weight. Pheww... I'm 5'2 and my average weight is around 142 pounds. I may start those support meetings up again in the North Denver area. MIght be a great resource for many as it was when I first did it .

5/31/19
Oh, the journey I've traveled. It's been years since I last posted but I was such an avid contributor that I thought I'd "check in" again.
My weight gain started after a very depressing first marriage & continued on through single parenthood. By the time I met my current husband (of almost 20 yrs now), I guess I was comfortable with myself & my terrible eating habits. I'm not sure I can pinpoint the moment I decided to have the gastric sleeve, but like many, I got to the point where I was so damn depressed that I didn't even want to go out. I didn't want to be seen or noticed. I was incredibly embarrassed with myself.
Fast forward, I had my surgery around 2014. Became a weight loss facilitator hosting support meetings for newbies & post surgery. Started a demanding job that took me away from continuing the meetings only to wind up getting laid off 1 1/2 yrs later. Found a temp job but was very unhappy with the commute so I left.
Here's where you need to pay attention. I wound up unemployed for almost 7 months. I became quite depressed and, guess what gained 25 pounds back. UGH, how could this happen, right? Easy. I feel back into old habits. I didn't watch what I was eating & I certainly didn't pay attention to portion control. Granted, I didn't eat a lot in the sense of how much I ate, but it was enough. Don't think for a minute that weight loss surgery is a quick fix. It's truly a tool & you are responsible for making it work for you. We all gain weight for many different reasons but I feel it almost always is a result of a psychological journey we're going through.
Fortunately, once I was employed & allowed myself to become accountable to myself again, I started Weight Watchers. Yea, you would think I knew what I had to do to lose the weight again but I needed the support & something I could 'share' with others.
Here I am, 4 months later & I lost the weight. Pheww... I'm 5'2 and my average weight is around 142 pounds. I may start those support meetings up again in the North Denver area. MIght be a great resource for many as it was when I first did it .

5/31/19
Oh, the journey I've traveled. It's been years since I last posted but I was such an avid contributor that I thought I'd "check in" again.
My weight gain started after a very depressing first marriage & continued on through single parenthood. By the time I met my current husband (of almost 20 yrs now), I guess I was comfortable with myself & my terrible eating habits. I'm not sure I can pinpoint the moment I decided to have the gastric sleeve, but like many, I got to the point where I was so damn depressed that I didn't even want to go out. I didn't want to be seen or noticed. I was incredibly embarrassed with myself.
Fast forward, I had my surgery around 2014. Became a weight loss facilitator hosting support meetings for newbies & post surgery. Started a demanding job that took me away from continuing the meetings only to wind up getting laid off 1 1/2 yrs later. Found a temp job but was very unhappy with the commute so I left.
Here's where you need to pay attention. I wound up unemployed for almost 7 months. I became quite depressed and, guess what gained 25 pounds back. UGH, how could this happen, right? Easy. I feel back into old habits. I didn't watch what I was eating & I certainly didn't pay attention to portion control. Granted, I didn't eat a lot in the sense of how much I ate, but it was enough. Don't think for a minute that weight loss surgery is a quick fix. It's truly a tool & you are responsible for making it work for you. We all gain weight for many different reasons but I feel it almost always is a result of a psychological journey we're going through.
Fortunately, once I was employed & allowed myself to become accountable to myself again, I started Weight Watchers. Yea, you would think I knew what I had to do to lose the weight again but I needed the support & something I could 'share' with others.
Here I am, 4 months later & I lost the weight. Pheww... I'm 5'2 and my average weight is around 142 pounds. I may start those support meetings up again in the North Denver area. MIght be a great resource for many as it was when I first did it .

Since you first started looking into weight loss surgery, you’ve probably been hearing a lot about the importance of protein. You need at least 60 to 80 grams a day for the following reasons:
It’s a filling nutrient that helps you lose weight by decreasing hunger. It’s an essential nutrient for healthy skin, hair, nails, hormones, and enzymes. It helps stop you from losing too much muscle while you lose body fat.

Almost everyone needs protein supplements right after weight loss surgery. Protein shakes and powders give you the protein you need when you’re not allowed to eat solid foods. But which types should you choose? And should you keep using them when you’re eating solid foods and surgery is long behind you?
Protein for the Liquid Phase of the Post Weight Loss Surgery Diet Progression
After a day or two of sticking to clear liquids, you progress to a full liquid diet. You can be on this diet for a few days, if you’re a lap-band patient, or a couple of weeks, if you have the gastric sleeve or gastric bypass. Protein sources include the following. Non-fat milk, with 90 calories and 8 grams of protein per 8 ounces. Non-fat milk powder, with 100 calories and 10 grams of protein per ounce. Low-sugar protein powder, with 110 calories and 25 grams of protein per ounce. Low-sugar protein shakes, with 100 or more calories and 15 or more grams of protein per 8 ounces. Without supplementing your diet with protein shakes and powders, you’re not going to be able to hit your 60 to 80 grams of protein.
Protein Powders and Shakes in the Pureed Foods Phase
This phase is really a transition phase. You’re adding foods back into your diet, but aren’t yet ready to eat chewy, sticky, crunchy, or other solid foods. Protein foods include the following.
Non-fat cottage cheese, with 12 grams of protein per half-cup. Non-fat ricotta cheese, with 5 grams of protein per half-cup. Egg whites, with 4 grams of protein per extra-large white. Non-fat Greek or regular yogurt, with 8 to 14 grams of protein per container. During this phase, your surgeon will probably have you start to decrease your use of protein shakes and powders, but will probably recommend keeping them in your diet to help you get to 60 to 80 grams of protein per day. You might need one or two shakes a day, plus powder in foods such as oatmeal, yogurt, or pureed potatoes.
Be Wary of Protein Supplements in the Long-Term
Protein shakes and powders can be convenient, but they’re not your best bet for long-term weight loss. As you progress from pureed foods to semi-solid and then solid foods, your surgeon will probably recommend that you stop drinking shakes and focus instead on solid sources of protein.
They’re more substantial and satisfying than liquid shakes. They take longer to eat than drinking shakes. They’re easier to fit into a real-life eating plan. You won’t be “drinking your calories.” They have more natural nutrients than processed shakes and powders. Most weight loss surgery patients can get enough protein just by choosing one or two high-protein foods for each meal. You’ll get 60 to 80 grams with the following foods.
Breakfast: 2 scrambled egg whites with ½ light English muffin and some fruit. Lunch: ½ cup fat-free cottage cheese and a green salad with 3 ounces of canned light tuna. Dinner: 3 ounces of chicken breast and steamed spinach. Snack 1: 1 low-fat cheese stick. Snack 2: 1 6-ounce container of plain low-fat yogurt and ½ cup carrot sticks. When Protein Supplements Are Okay
Still, some weight loss surgery patients may still need protein shakes and powders in the long term. That’s often the case for vertical sleeve patients if your sleeve fills up too quickly to allow you to eat enough solid protein throughout the day. Talk to your surgeon to find out whether you should still use shakes and powders. Your surgeon might suggest that you include one or two protein shakes a day as snacks or mix protein powder into your yogurt, cereal or other foods.
Protein supplements can still come in handy even if you’re able to meet your protein requirements on your daily weight loss surgery diet. If your routine gets interrupted, you might come up short. Consider the protein you can miss if you need to change your regular plans for a meal or snack.
10 grams of protein if you run out the door without grabbing your yogurt in the morning. 22 grams of protein if you forget to pack your tuna for lunch. 26 grams of protein if you’re stuck in a meeting instead of cooking your chicken dinner at home. When you’re stuck in the car or too busy to plan ahead, protein shakes can be lifesavers. On vacation, you can take protein powder with you so you’re always sure to have a source when you need it. You could also try Unjury Protein’d Cheese Sauce on steamed vegetables for an extra 21 grams of protein.
Read the Nutrition Facts Panel to Find Protein Content
The Food and Drug Administration lets food manufacturers call a food “a good source of” protein if it has at least 5 grams of protein. If a serving has at least 10 grams of protein, a food can be labeled “high,” “rich in,” or “an excellent source of” protein. That doesn’t do you much good if you’re trying to find a shake or powder with at least 15 to 20 grams of protein per serving.
Don’t rely on a claim on the front of the label when you’re looking for a protein supplement. You could end up with a “high-protein” shake with only 10 grams of protein! Instead, check the nutrition facts panel to see how many grams of protein the food or shake has per serving.
Check the Label for Calories and Sugar
Protein shakes and powders can be high in calories and sugar. A bottle of Special K Protein has only 10 grams of protein, but 190 calories and 18 grams of sugar. A Pure Protein Frosty Chocolate Shake has 15 grams of protein, but 190 calories and 25 grams of sugar. A can of Boost High Protein drink has 15 grams of protein, 240 calories and 27 grams of sugars.
No matter which stage of your weight loss surgery diet you’re on, you can’t afford to eat too many calories or too much sugar. The only way to protect yourself is to read the labels.
Protein supplements can be great choices for boosting your intake to 60 to 80 grams a day. Shakes and powders can get you through the liquid and pureed foods stages of the post-surgery diet progression, and they can have a place in your diet even when you reach your long-term weight loss surgery diet plan. Just make sure not to overuse them if your surgeon is concerned, and to choose low-sugar options.

On Wednesday, ABC’s “The View” included a tactless segment for weight loss surgery patients. In it, Rosie O’Donnell said that she disagreed with New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s choice to get the laparoscopic adjustable gastric band (lap-band), calling it an “inefficient” way to lose weight.


Ms. O’Donnell herself is a gastric sleeve patient who had struggled with her weight throughout her professional life. She got the procedure done in July of 2013, and has since lost about 50 pounds.
Upsetting Effects of Ms. O’Donnell’s Words
Ms. O’Donnell not only insulted Governor Christie, but also every lap-band patient. She stated outright that the lap-band has a 50 percent rate of removal, and is an inefficient way to lose weight. She strongly implied that anyone who gets the lap-band chooses to do so because they haven’t done enough research.
This kind of divisiveness between weight loss surgery patients is harmful to everyone who is affected by obesity. Weight loss surgery can literally save lives and give people back their quality of life. It can be the only way to lose weight for many people. The only way to improve weight loss surgery outcomes and acceptance is to provide a unified front. When someone like Ms. O’Donnell bashes lap-band surgery, it only adds to the public’s general misconception of weight loss surgery as a foolish choice.
The Lap-Band Is a Good Choice for Many
The gastric sleeve is the right choice for some weight loss surgery patients, and it may have been the right choice for Ms. O’Donnell. For other patients, the lap-band is the right choice – and, in contrast to Ms. O’Donnell’s accusations, they can arrive at that decision after careful research. They may be hesitant to permanently remove most of the stomach, as in the gastric sleeve, and may value the ability to adjust their bands.
There’s no shortage of evidence that the lap-band can work. In fact, it may even be working for Governor Christie! He will not publicly discuss specific numbers, but he’s clearly lost weight since getting the lap-band in February of 2013. Rumor has it he’s down 85 pounds, but he hasn’t confirmed this amount.
A Better Choice of Words
Ms. O’Donnell is certainly entitled to her opinion, but it doesn’t seem necessary for an influential celebrity to insult all lap-band patients in front of millions of viewers on national television.
She could easily have praised the gastric sleeve and all that it has done for her without bashing the lap-band.
She could have discussed why she chose the sleeve over the lap-band and gastric bypass.
She could have praised Governor Christie for his weight loss without insulting his choice of weight loss surgery.

How Can “The View” Make Amends?
“The View” could have handled the situation a little differently. The show could have done something as simple as asking Ms. O’Donnell for evidence for her claims. For example, where did she learn that half of all lap-bands are removed? That flies in the face of what patients learn from their surgeons, who spend years studying the lap-band and other types of weight loss surgery.
There’s still time to make amends and show weight loss surgery patients some respect. “The View” could dedicate a segment of a future show to discussing weight loss surgery more accurately. Any number of bariatric surgeons and allied health professionals could serve as credible guests in an informative interview.
Make Your Voice Heard!
What you think matters to Hollywood celebrities and TV shows. Their success depends on your approval and continued support. If you want to weigh in on how you feel about Ms. O’Donnell’s insensitive comment about the lap-band, why not tell her and “The View” what you’re thinking? You can tweet them at @Rosie and @theviewTV to explain how hurtful her words were. They’re on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RosieODonnellOfficial and https://www.facebook.com/TheView.
Ms. O’Donnell may benefit from learning that the lap-band is a good choice for some weight loss surgery patients, and “The View” may learn that the show needs to take responsibility for presenting a more accurate picture of this – and any other – sensitive topic.

I really enjoyed this article & hope to incorporate it into our next N Denver Chapter Meeting
Thanks for sharing!
Fran

If the many diets that you have tried over the years don't help you lose weight, weight loss surgery may turn out to be the only strategy that is able to get you to your goal weight. Still, weight loss surgery is just a tool, and your weight loss depends on your hard work over the years from when you first plan your surgery to when you are maintaining your goal weight. A healthy lifestyle includes eating right, exercising regularly, and silencing the doubtful voices in your head and of your family and friends.

Measuring each bite of food, and getting up before dawn to take a walk, and passing up your aunt’s homemade peach pie can get tiresome. Motivating yourself and setting good goals can help you consistently make the right decisions for your health. These are a few tips to help you.


Why Are You Losing Weight?
It’s easy to remember why you want to lose weight when you are having trouble finding small-enough clothes or your weight is above the limit for a theme park ride. It’s harder to remember why you want to lose weight when you and a group of friends are at the dinner table with a large chocolate cake. Making a list of the reasons why you want to lose weight and looking at the list often can keep the reasons fresh in your mind and strengthen your resolve to resist temptation.

These are some of the common reasons for getting weight loss surgery.
Live longer.
Be healthier – get off medications or manage your health conditions better.
Participate in more activities with friends and family.
Go shopping in regular stores with great clothes.
Fit comfortably into car seats, restaurant booths, and movie theater and airplane seats.
Feel better about yourself.

Make It Personal
Deepen your motivation even further and use it to help you stay on track if you think about some of the reasons why you are losing weight that have to do with people in your life. These might be some of your reasons.
You want to be an active parent who is able to play with your children.
You want to be alive and healthy when your children graduate from high school or give you grandchildren.
Obesity is making you miss out on important moments like family hikes.
You watched an overweight parent or aunt or uncle suffer from diabetes or heart disease at a young age, and know that you may be headed in the same direction.
Your siblings also suffer from obesity and its consequences, and you want to break the pattern.

Think About the Short, Medium, and Long Term
The weight loss journey is a long and difficult process, to say the least. You need to spend months or years preparing for weight loss surgery by getting the payment sorted out, choosing a surgeon, and following the pre-surgery diet. Then there is the actual surgery, followed by months of recovery that can include pain, nausea, and complications.

As you recover, you need to learn an entirely new way of eating and living, and may be hungry, cranky, and tired. Finally, there is the rest of your life, as you lose weight and stay on your new eating plan. Every day can be filled with challenges such as tempting but forbidden foods, the need to exercise, and how to deal with people who may not be supportive of your surgery.

Goals give you something specific to work towards. The long-term goals are the big ones. They may be the ones that you have in mind when you get weight loss surgery or that you tell other people. Some long-term goals might be losing 100 pounds, or jogging five miles without stopping.

Those long-term goals can take years to accomplish, and setting some short-term goals can keep you focused as you work toward the long-term goals. They can include losing 5 pounds this month or speed-walking for a mile. These are some other short-term goals that can keep you on track day-to-day.
Lowering your blood pressure or cholesterol or blood sugar levels enough so that your doctor tells you to lower your dose of medications.
Going for a month without going to a fast food restaurant.
Hitting your protein and water goals every day for a week.

Vary Your Goals
Victories can be few and far between if your goals are too narrow, and this mistake can leave you feeling unmotivated. Consider what happens if the only goals that you have are to lost certain amounts of weight. What happens if you do not hit a certain weight loss goal? Does that mean that your hard work has been pointless? Of course not, but you might feel that way if that was the only goal that you were working towards.

Learn to look for and recognize all kinds of progress by setting goals that go beyond your weight. When you achieve them, you have earned a non-scale victory (NSV). While a lower number on the scale is easy to see, NSVs are what make life worth living. They can include the following.
Getting in good enough shape to be able to walk briskly with your husband.
Making it through an entire dinner at your parents’ house without taking offense at any negative comments about your surgery.
Going out with your friends and enjoying their company without giving in to the food.

Celebrate!
We’re all a work in progress. With weight loss surgery comes years of working on improving your health. The only way to keep up the effort, and the only way to make the effort worthwhile, is to celebrate! Celebrate the small victories to be sure that you realize how valuable your efforts are. Buy yourself a new kitchen scale, get your nails done, go out for coffee with a friend, or plan a hiking trip. You are worth working for, and your victories are worth celebrating.

You can lose more weight and keep it off when you stay focused, but that can be challenged. Remind yourself of your motivations and celebrate all kinds of victories to keep yourself in the game.

Hopefully, my attachment will work.
Pre- surgery weight = 245
Current weight = 137

Have you gotten off track and lost your "Bariatric Brain"? Maybe it's time to start thinking like a bariatric patient again!


Let’s face it - after bariatric surgery, life is not the same. Your diet will change, your body will change, and in many cases, your attitude will change. For many of us, however, a point in time comes when we find ourselves in a different state. In some respect, we almost forget that we’ve had bariatric surgery.
After our initial phases of being on liquids, soft and chopped foods, and transitioning into full solids, we spend some time reveling in our ability to eat a ton less and to be able to only eat certain foods. For the first 6-12 months, we are in a “honeymoon phase” of sorts - we’re losing weight easily, we have the assurance that we just CAN’T eat certain things such as rice, bread, pasta, etc., and we’re in a certain mindset that I’ve dubbed the “Bariatric Brain”. For some of us, that mindset remains because we are never able to eat certain things without them getting stuck or without experiencing dumping syndrome. For others, that mindset all but disappears when we discover that we can eat certain foods without sliming or them getting stuck, or that other foods no longer send us to the bathroom for an hour.
From my own experience, the downfall out of the “Bariatric Brain” began 6 months after my surgery. I was told my my nutritionist that I was allowed to have carbonation from that point on. I was a little confused, as all of the other people I knew with the sleeve had been told they could never have it again, but my addiction to diet soda was stronger than my common sense. From that point on, I learned I could also eat bread (8 months), pasta (10 months) and rice (14 months). From there, it was no-holds barred.
Something else that happens with the sleeve that they don’t tell you is that at a certain point - your stomach capacity will increase after a time. This is because for a few months, it’s swollen to a point that you can only hold about ½ a cup of food at one time. After the first year, and it is completely healed, that capacity increases to about a cup. For someone that’s not expecting that, it can be a little confusing. For a food addict, it can be exciting and tempting. At that point, you are no longer bound by restrictions.
When this happens, some people begin to forget about their surgery. They begin to get back into a different mindset. One of “oh, I can eat this!” instead of, “Nope - gotta leave that off”. When this happens, the diet shifts to one of fast food, sugar, carbs, soft drinks, and alcohol (not every food in every case, mind you). It is that moment when the tool that we so greatly loved and admired begins to fail us. Or, rather, WE begin to fail our TOOL.
When this happens, it’s time to return to the mindset we were in during the first year. It’s time to think like a bariatric patient again.
This is no easy feat, after all, we’ve returned to our addiction - FOOD.
But at the same time, in the case of most other addictions - drugs, alcohol, nicotine, etc. - there is almost always a backslide. A heroine addict may sneak out of rehab for that one more fix, an AA leader might get depressed one night and get insanely drunk, someone trying to quit smoking might sneak a puff or two at a rock concert. These instances are normal and, some believe, even a healthy part of the healing from addiction. If this is acceptable in these cases, why is it not acceptable in the weight loss world?
When this happens, take a step back. Look at yourself from the outside in. It’s important here to remind yourself that getting off track is NORMAL and OK. Although not everyone has done it, many MANY people have - and some of those people have the most successful weight loss stories on the Bariatric Pal forum.
With that in mind, how does one go back to the “Bariatric Brain”?
Go Back To Basics
Remember what started the weight loss to begin with? Protein, water, walking? Get back to it! Make sure you’re getting AT LEAST 60g of protein a day (even better is 80-90g!). Make sure you’re getting AT LEAST 64oz of water a day, and make sure you’re getting some kind of activity for AT LEAST 15 minutes a day (30-45 minutes is better).
Return To Liquids?
Some people return to a liquid diet for a few days (no more than 3). They feel that this helps “reset” their system and returns their mindset back to where it should be. One way of doing this is through the “5-Day Pouch Test” (designed for RnY or Gastric Band patients) in which you return to liquids for a few days then gradually return to solid foods.
For those that have the sleeve or the duodenal switch, the pouch test might not work for you as it’s not designed for that kind of surgery. That being said, if you feel the need, you can also return to liquids for a few days.
Return To Support Groups
Support groups are the #1 key to a successful weight loss surgery, regardless of your surgery or your stage. If you are a year or more out, consider returning to a support group. Hearing what the people in the early stages are having issues with, and helping them work through those issues can, in fact, help you work through yours.
Read, and Educate Yourself
Consider finding books, articles, cookbooks, and magazines on bariatric surgery. Do research on one aspect that really interests you. Immerse yourself in it again like you did in the beginning!
Remember Your Motivation
What was your reason for having Bariatric Surgery to begin with? Your health? Your family? Your looks? Looking at what you wanted from your surgery and where you are now might help you to refocus.
In The End Remember …
What you are going through right now is okay, and completely normal. Thousands of people are going through exactly the same thing you are. You are not alone!
Remember that if you’re REALLY struggling, you can always find help. Talk you your nutritionist or dietician, seek mentorship in a support group, or find a good counselor that has experience with food addiction and bariatric patients. And ALWAYS remember - YOU CAN DO THIS!!!

I was sleeved feb 25, 2013-- so a lil over 16 months outI was 319 and a 26 was no longer fitting
I am now 165 and wear a 14! So I've lost just about 155! I still have a bit to go and it's def slowed but I've completely changed my lifestyle and it's going slow but steady- some months now it's up a lb and some it's down 7..,, just depends

I remember being pre-op and my favorite thing to do was look at progress photos and dream
I am 6 months, 10 days post op and I am down 128 pounds total. This isnt a very great pic since I have been sick, but i still took it because anything is better than my before!!

I put off surgery because of the COST. My insurance did NOT cover it. I was the mom of four, living off of a teacher's salary...... I COULD NOT AFFORD IT.
I did get my surgery by participating in a long term (5 year) study being conducted by Pennington Biomedical Research, part of the LSU system. The State of Louisiana Office of Group Benefits, (the health care provider for state employees), hired Pennington to conduct research on the long term benefits from weight loss surrgery vs that from three month liquid Protein shakes with intensive counseling and nutritional support. My name was randomly chosen from a computer generated lottery (over 20,000 applicants, and 300 names were chosen and screened for 100 surgeries). In essence, I WON THE LOTTERY.
I already went for my six-month post-op return physical, and I will be going back in August for my one year physical. I am then required to come back on the 2, 3, 4, and 5 year anniversary of my surgery. 75% of the WLS patients had lapband surgery, with 25% receiving either the sleeve or the by-pass surgery. There are hundreds of pages of survey questions that I must answer at each visit, as well as a complete physical each and every time. All of the data will be analyzed.
I will keep this site abreast of the findings of this study as they are released.

A common concern among people who are trying to lose weight is the cost of your lifestyle change. If you are trying to decide whether weight loss surgery is for you, you might be worried about the cost of the procedure. If you have had weight loss surgery but are struggling to lose weight, you might be having trouble justifying the cost of your healthy diet.


While it is true that you will have to pay more for certain things, such as the upfront cost of surgery and the cost of healthy foods, it is also true that by getting healthy, you can save plenty of money on long-term healthcare costs and other expenses.

How Much Does Obesity Cost?

The answer is not simple when you consider the current and future costs of medications and other medical care for obesity and related conditions. Many obese individuals are taking medications to lower cholesterol and blood pressure and to manage diabetes. You can easily be spending hundreds of dollars a month on your prescription drug regimen. Blood tests are another expense that you probably regularly need to purchase in order to monitor your cholesterol, blood sugar, and triglyceride level. Even with insurance, you might be paying substantial amounts until you hit your maximum out-of-pocket level.

You also need to think about the possible costs down the road. These can include major expenses, such as the cost of knee or hip surgery to relieve osteoarthritis pain, a hospital stay for a heart attack or stroke, or dialysis because of kidney failure resulting from complications of diabetes. Obesity is not guaranteed to cause all of these in every individual, but it does increase your risk.
Of course, you are also paying for obesity if you take more sick days than you otherwise would, or if you are unable to accept promotions or switch job because you cannot meet the job demands.

Do Not Forget the Cost of Temporary Weight Solutions

If you are even thinking about weight loss surgery, it is because you have already tried – without success – to lose weight. You might have been unable to lose weight on any diet plan, or you might have been able to lose weight at the beginning, but you gained it back within months or years.
Whether you were unable to lose weight at all or were unable to keep it off, you have undoubtedly tried numerous diet programs. They are not cheap. You need to pay for the cost of prepared foods or special diet shakes or supplements. Some diet programs also charge for their support as well as for each pound that you lose. Hundreds of dollars over the course of years puts a serious dent in your budget, especially if you

The True Cost of Unhealthy vs. Healthy Food

At many fast food restaurants, five dollars can buy you some sort of value meal with a burger, burrito, or chicken sandwich, a side, such as French fries or nachos, and a soft drink. For those same five dollars, you can purchase a can of tuna, a few servings of fresh or frozen vegetables, an apple and an entire loaf of whole-wheat bread. Even if you want to eat lunch at a fast food restaurant after weight loss surgery, you can buy a salad with chicken breast or a small taco or grilled chicken sandwich for those five dollars.

The unhealthy value meal can have over 1,000 calories, while the other options might have only a few hundred. While you might not be getting as many calories for those same five dollars when you make the healthy choices, you are still spending the same amount of money (or less) and meeting your needs for that same meal. Get out of the mindset of trying to get the most food per dollar, and get into the mindset of making the best choice for your money.

Are the Costs of Weight Loss Surgery and a Healthy Lifestyle Worthwhile?

The weight loss surgery procedure itself can cost several thousand dollars without insurance, and that may not include the cost of medical tests before and after surgery, follow-up visits, and any additional care that may be necessary in the case of complications related to surgery.

You also need to buy healthy foods. Lean sources of protein, such as chicken and turkey breast, cheese, tuna and extra lean ground beef, are no longer optional. You also need to buy vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. These can seem expensive, but compare them to what you used to buy.
As an example, if you are a man who weighed 260 pounds and exercised lightly a couple of times per week, you needed 2,500 calories per day simply to maintain your weight before surgery – and if you were gaining weight, you were eating more than 2,500 calories per day. After weight loss surgery, your calorie consumption is closer to half that amount. Eating half the calories lets you select nutritious foods while keeping your total costs low.

Another cost of a healthy lifestyle is staying active. A gym membership can be a few hundred dollars a year, but you do not need to join a gym to get fit. Throw on a pair of sturdy walking shoes and some comfortable clothes, and you can be pounding the pavement for under $100.

Consider the Intangibles

Life is not all about dollars and cents. It is about living. As an obese individual, you might be missing out on a lot of life. You might not be able to spend the day on your feet when you go out with friends and family, shopping for clothes might be a humiliating experience, and fitting into an airplane seat or restaurant booth might be impossible. On top of all that, your life expectancy is lower if you are obese. Seeing your children graduate from college or being able to take care of the grandchildren is a privilege that has no cost.

Bottom Line: Do Weight Loss and Health Fit into Your Budget?

Weight loss surgery is not for everyone, and surgery and a nutritious diet can be large upfront costs. However, you are likely to gain the money back, along with a better quality of life, if you are successfully able to lose weight for good. Because of lower healthcare costs, better attendance at work, and the ability to do more fun activities, weight loss and health can surely fit into your budget.

Just after Easter, I posted this photo of my morning ‘snack’ of carrots, celery jelly beans and chocolate eggs with a caption, “Does this make sense to anyone?” The responses were funny, truthful, and understanding. Some quickly identified the beans and eggs as protein and together with the carrots and celery some said that made a very healthy snack! Others noted that there were so few, it didn’t matter. One commented,


Just after Easter, I posted this photo of my morning ‘snack’ of carrots, celery jelly beans and chocolate eggs with a caption, “Does this make sense to anyone?” The responses were funny, truthful, and understanding. Some quickly identified the beans and eggs as protein and together with the carrots and celery some said that made a very healthy snack! Others noted that there were so few, it didn’t matter. One commented, “Living on the edge – just don’t overdo it!” Yes, I laughed out loud.
And don’t we all have times when we live on the edge, test fate, and throw caution to the wind? I suppose we do. I just always wonder why. Why do we do what we do, when we know what we know? For myself, sugar is a real challenge for me and something I need to avoid (see Sugar Free Me! article) Yet, still I ate the jelly beans and chocolate eggs on a plate with vegetables, as if that would make it ok, or that the vegetables would counter act the sugar. Yeah, right. Knowing that so many can relate, I thought I would give a shot at perhaps a few reasons why I think we do what we do when we know what we know.
We Want To Feel Normal – Sometimes we simply don’t’ want to have to worry about it! We are under the impression that eating whatever one wants is ‘normal.’ It might appear that our thin friends and relatives can, but it always comes down to calories in- calories out; for everyone! We are normal and like most people will always need to be careful and mindful about our choices, but sometimes, we just want our actions to have no consequences. (But they do)
Others Do It. In support groups, sometimes patients share how they are able to get away with eating “forbidden foods” and how they are still doing great with their weight loss. Well, more often than not I have found that these people are either ‘honeymooners’ or their metabolism is different than mine or they are great exercisers. Eating what others eat hasn’t worked well for most of us. We each need to know for ourselves EXACTLY what our own bodies need – and what works and what doesn’t work for us to maintain our weight loss goals.
Reckless Abandon – My favorite definition of reckless abandon is: “to abandon all sense of responsibility or consequence.” Sometimes we do because we are either too busy to pay attention, or too stressed to care. It is unfortunate that all too often our lives are out of control and when we are too busy, we put ourselves last! The commitment we have made to ourselves must be strong enough to endure ‘come what may’ we must stay focused on our Success Habits. No matter what! It is too easy to get out of control and off track and find ourselves somewhere we swore we would never be again.
A Little Won’t Hurt – That may be true for some but honestly, this is one of my greatest challenges. Some people can do just a little, but for others like me, have trouble stopping at just a little. It’s not that I binge eat or eat too much at once, it’s just that once I have a little, my body starts to crave more, and more and soon I am a slave to my food choices day after day. For me, a little does hurt.
Will I make the choice to eat jelly beans & chocolate again? Absolutely! Will I enjoy it? Yes! Will I stop, and get back to my routine habits as soon as possible? Yes! Why? Because I know what I know.

Clients often tell me one of their biggest challenges after weight loss surgery is eating slowly.


Clients often tell me one of their biggest challenges after weight loss surgery is eating slowly. Eating too quickly means that you are unlikely to chew foods properly. This can cause discomfort, pain and in some cases, regurgitation.
To be able to eat a variety of foods comfortably after weight loss surgery, you really need to concentrate while you are eating. The following tips may help you do this:
Set aside time for meals and avoid doing other things whilst you are eating.
Sit up straight and avoid slouching. Sit at the table rather than the couch. Avoid eating whilst preparing food.
Move away from the television or computer. You cannot focus on what you are eating if you are immersed in something else.
Avoid playing with your mobile phone or other electronic devices.
Avoid getting really hungry. The hungrier you are when you start a meal, the more likely you are to eat quickly, take big bites and not chew properly.
Avoid eating with your hands as you will tend to take bigger bites. Use cutlery to cut food into small pieces. The more pieces you need to cut the longer it will take to eat.
Avoid eating on the run, or in the car.
Put your cutlery down between mouthfuls. Wait until you have swallowed your food before cutting the next piece. Avoid having that next mouthful loaded on your fork ready to go.
If you really struggle to slow down, use your cutlery in the opposite hand until the pace of eating feels more natural.
Choose a relaxing environment to eat. If the staff room at work is too distracting, head outside to a nearby park. Opt for a quiet café rather than a noisy food court, where you may be tempted to rush.
Be especially careful when eating socially, as during conversation it is very easy to become distracted. Eat during a break in conversation.
Avoid the tendency to want to keep pace when eating with others.

Take notice when you do slow down your eating. Do you feel more satisfied? Do you enjoy your food more? Many people report they enjoy food more after surgery as they eat more slowly, allowing them to really taste the food and savour the flavours.
Get in the habit of eating slowly. It could take up to 20 minutes to eat a small meal – between 10 and 20 minutes is a good goal. If there is food left on your plate after this time, discard it. There is a risk of eating too slowly which can turn a meal into grazing, which defeats the purpose of weight loss surgery.
Time how long it takes you to eat your next meal. It may just surprise you!

Confidence is a turn-on.
Arrogance is a turn-off.
We, the Post Op and the Doc, discuss RECOVERY all the time. ALL. THE. TIME. Why? Because we believe in it and know the healing power it brings.


We’ve never really talked specifically about "confidence" and "arrogance" per se, but we talk about narcissism and selfishness and how destructive they are to our Recovery from Obesity. That makes it entirely understandable that many recovery "newbies" could easily confuse the two.
If a person comes from (a perceived place of) “nothing” into a big, new life of potential “everything,” the pendulum can (and often does) overcompensate (swings wildly in the other direction). In other words, if you start from a place where you’re thinking you have little value (perhaps based on your weight) – it is sometimes the case that to people appear to be … overvaluing themselves (think a posted selfie … or two or three… each day for a solid year). Is either of those extremes a healthy place to be… or could it be that they may actually represent the same issue?
There is a continuum on which most “issues” can be placed. Think a straight line with a far left side, a center, and a far right side (sounds like politics, right?)! On that continuum we are talking about at the moment, there is a line of unhealthy to healthy behaviors. Think of feeling insignificant on the far left of the line, feeling confident in the middle, and feeling arrogance on the extreme right end of the line. In other words, sometimes when a person goes from a place of feeling insignificant (in this case, perhaps related to being obese), sometimes they "overshoot" the goal of having confidence and end up acting "arrogant."
And this is true for many other “issues” we could put on that imaginary line. Think “completely independent/I don’t need anyone” as being on the far left, healthy independence being in the center and “totally dependent on others” as being on the far right end.
Here’s the deal: both the far left and the far right “issue” actually represent the same thing … an unhealthy extreme… of the same problem. Think about it. A person who feels/acts terribly insignificant AND a person who feels/acts arrogant are both acting out the same issue… feelings of poor self-esteem. The healthy place to be on a continuum of healthy self-esteem is in the middle… feeling/acting confident.
It truly is often the case that people swing from one end of the extreme to the other. It can look very different, but to those who understand this tendency of human behavior… it makes perfect sense. Balance lies in the middle of extremes. In this case, confidence is the healthy place of balance between feeling and acting insignificant and feeling and acting arrogant.
In the example of someone who acts like they don’t need anyone else in their life, whether for companionship or ask assistance from on one of the scale to the person who is so “needy” or dependent on the other, the issue is the same – dependency. On one end is the person who refuses to acknowledge the need for depending on others at times. On the other end is the person who can’t seem to think for themselves, go anywhere alone, or be alone for five minutes. The healthy place of balance is in the middle – being someone who has healthy dependency… can manage on their own at times and knows they need others, as well.
In recovery, the goal is to allow the pendulum to settle, rather than swing wildly, and arrive at the center of the continuum! (Hmmm…pendulums and continuums…who knew?)
A great way to encourage balance is to listen to trusted friends who are willing to tell you things you might not want to hear. And…get ready to say "Ouch!" because it often hurts…
Fortunately, if you are open to considering the possibility that your trusted friends might be right, you open yourself to the possibility of health and peace of mind in recovery. Doesn't that seem like a healthy trade-off? A little hurt for a lot of healing?
If you were to place yourself on that continuum of self-worth/self-value, where do you think you'd be? No judgment -- Remember, AWARENESS and ACCEPTANCE are critical to recovery, so if you don't admit stuff, you can't change it.